Well played - well recorded. Out of 30+ songs!! you are likely to find a lot to love here. China Cat just kills it for me. Bob Weir is a rhythm guitarist only in name.
dude had some silky smooth licks, and that's how he often plated "rhythm" guitar in the early 70s.

This was rescheduled from 5/7, part of a 4-stop west coast tour: one venue each in BC, WA, OR, CA (the last stop being two shows, in LA). This is an average '73 show, though the lesser one of the month, with no big standouts. Truckin'>Drums>TOO is the show's money sequence, most of the rest being standard GOGD.

First Set. The first half of the set is the Dead sure enough, but not at true '73 powers. They are still ironing out tech difficulties on Greatest Story; which may be why they sound flummoxed. Brown Eyed Women is laid back to the point of snoozy. Jack Straw has the first small sparks - tighter, better tempo - but Box is a struggle. Jer is klugey, randomly plinking (though my friends that hate the Dead claim that's always the case). The next few are flat. On You Ain't Woman Enough, Donna is better than the band, except for Keith. Her accent comes out "you can bomb anywhere". Things turn around starting at Row Jimmy, the tightest so far. There's a Feelin' Groovy jam @6:30 in a solid China>Rider. After a standard though stalwart Beat It On Down the Line-6½, on the official release Loser-SS is a strange case. The "moaning low" verse was skipped this night, but the official release edits-in one from 6/9. The patch, lasting 2:23>5:10 [half the song], also replaces the solo. As a result, the "queen of diamonds" verse plays twice, and the channels are reversed during the edit. Not only does this make the MTX preferable, it sounds better than the official. A fine Playing has the only real X Factor of the set (@13min the channels switch for 15secs on non-AUD sources). Phil is good on this set - others not so much.

Second Set. Phil is still a monster on Bertha, and it's a strong They Love Each Other. The first few notes of Black Peter are cut on the official. Here Comes Sunshine is always fun in '73, though this is not the best example from the year. The first 10secs of He's Gone are clipped on SBDs and AUDs, but complete on the official. For Truckin', the disparate pieces of diamond scattered throughout the songs coalesce into a singular gem. The Other One is likewise solid, even as an instrumental version - they never get to the lyrics before Bobby starts McGee. Now they are playing red, and Phil keeps the rest of TOO coiled on a spring. When sprung, check the second part's wild feedback section. From 2:30>4:54 in Sugar Mag the channels switch again, but unlike Playin' this was fixed on the official - except the last 15secs [@9:15] have been replaced with 4/2/73. Johnny B. Goode puts to bed a big 2hr set.

1st Set:  C
2nd Set: B-
Overall = 3 stars

Highlights:
Truckin' - the continuation through the TOO sandwich is worth hearing as well

SOURCES: The cotsman_12076 is the only full [patched] SBD source. Loser, Sugar Mag & JBG run slow, needing +1% pitch adjustment. Also, the channels are switched from Casey through Loser, in parts of Playing & Sugar Mag, and in JBG. The gdADT14_14673 is the old-school AUD, updated as williams-smith_115571. Both run way too fast, needing -3% adjustment. They lend to a fine Seamons MTX (seamons_100024). The Pacific Northwest box has most of the show (missing some but including some previously uncirc SBD), however it was mastered too fast. The first two discs need -2% pitch and disc #3 needs -1%, except for the last two tracks, which play accurately.

If you are just learning how to play rhythm guitar DO NOT listen to this version of “China Cat Sunflower” or else you will walk to your nearest trash can and deposit your instrument into it out of exasperation. Bob absolutely annihilates it here and I mean that in the complimentary way. Jerry kind of all but disappears for a while. I don’t know if he was just giving Bob some spotlight time or if he was having issues but my word what a performance by Weir.

Note: Don't let the initial distant sound
of the Casey Jones scare you off.
VOCALS ON THIS RECORDING (mid-1st set)
SOME OF THE BEST I HAVE EVER HEARD
especially -Box, Woman Enough, Row Jimmy
If you love harmonies--this section is it.

This 'Woman Enough' is another example
of why I am all in for DJG

Second Set not nearly as good vocal wise.

The EL PASO is beautiful.

During the slow part of Black Peter
-is when NOT to have a side conversation near a taper.
(no way the Black Peter is from the Board)
Yeah, notes say it is Aud patch,,

the Big River has a little distant feel but some of the riffs feel quadraphonic.

It just blows my mind how much music this band was capable of laying down in a single night.

Really nice HCS especially for the jam
just chilling mid 2nd set

Me & MY Uncle hold it's own. Weir all over those lyrics!

Listening to Garcia sing
and Phil's bass
on He's Gone
and Donna moaning low.
ensamble:
"HOT AS A PISTOL
BUT C000000L inside."
From Truckin' on
Weir takes the Lead Vocals
for the rest of the evening.

I don't know where this places for the year
but I sure love their sound in 1973

(overall Sound quality varies-
Brief dropout in Truckin'
jars me
but they tear into the jam
and I am feeling it

tough show to quantify
at times deserving those '3' ratings
but WOW when dialed in. :)
STEALIN MY FREAKIN' FACE
and that mid 1st set is SOOOoooo SWEET

The Other One which has a Bobby McGee in the last ballad spot / 2nd set and then
TOO spooky and then back into the light
for Sugar Magnolia

At about 10:30 into the 01 the boys launch into a jam that personifies the beauty of the GD.It's about as far out there as music gets,it will make you happy to be alive.

I'm loving the show. my headphones are so shitty the quality doesnt really matter. i'm half way through china cat. great set list. i think this deserves more than 3 stars.

There is some very inspired music being played this week in 1973 up here in the Northwest....PNE, Portland, and this Seattle show are definitely worth a look-see. This show has a crisp, energetic feel to it-both sets. Some great numbers to start it off--a rare "You Ain' Woman" showcases the nice side of what Donna's voice brought to the table, while Garcia happily just twangs away behind her. Solid, BIG Playin' anchors down the first set---Second set starts of w/ a few quick spritley intro tunes (Keith' intros are just great!)--a great TLEO, HCS, and then things get a lil' more serious--a still had-to-hurt He's Gone and then the Other One melting into Bobby McGee and back into the Other One to the cuckoos-nest and then we go into the dawn w/ the anthem of Sugar Mag. That is how it is done!! Classy act. Everyone seems to be on board for this outing. The audience recording patched in is not too bad-all things considered decades down the road. Doubledose is in there w/ the 4 star performance--just a knockdown because of audio. Great show.

There are some highlights and in general this is pretty solid but the hopping back and forth between aud and brd is annoying. Sound quality 2.5 show quality 4 = 3.25. I know some folks may think this harsh but cannot give this higher.